Combined printing and addressing machine



March 27, 1934. J. KRELL 1,952,551

COMBINED PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 27, 1934. RELL 1,952,551

COMBINED PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 27, 1934. J. KRELL COMBINED PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 27, 1934. J. KRELL COMBINED PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 PATENT OFFICE COMBINED PRINTING MAC AND ADDRESSING HINE Joseph Krell, Berlin-Zehlendorf, Germany Application March 8,

1932, Serial No. 597,544

Germany March 12, 1931 8 Claims.

My invention relates to combined printing and addressing machines. It is an object of my invention to provide a machine of the type referred to which is simpler than the existing machines, is operatedat a more rapid rate and is adapted to be used for the normal flat address printing plates, i. e. does not require curved plates. In 7 To this end I provide rotary means having a printing and an impression cylinder not only for printing text on sheets but also for printing the addresses into the text. The position of each sheet is reversed as it moves about the impression cylinder from the text-printing to the address-printing station, through an angle of about 180 degrees, and the addresses are printed into the text on the reversed side of the sheet. The rotary means for printing the addresses may be the impression cylinder alone, or in combination with an auxiliary impression cylinder.

Machines as designed heretofore are either very complicated, or they are too slow, or they cannot be used for the normal flat address-printing plates. Another drawback of almost all of them is that the text and/ or the addresses are by fiat members while it is more. convenient to employ rotary members such as the principal and auxiliary impression cylinders referred to for printing the text and the addresses. The operation of my machine is continuous.

The rotary means for printing the text may be of the usual type, for letters or other sheets, and the addresses are printed by means of the impression cylinder, with or Without an auxiliary impression cylinder. Intermittent feeding means present the address-printing plates to .the rotary means in time. The impression cylinder moves the printed sheets past the printing plates which are fed in a straight line. It will .be understood that in my machine the impression cylinder for printing the addresses into the fixed text on the sheets cooperates with the printing cylinder of the rotary unit on which the type for the text is provided.

The'sheets, or a continuous Web of paper, are in my machine engaged by the printing and impression cylinders of the rotary unit and printed with the text on the printing cylinder. The

impression cylinder which is of equal diameter and rotates at the same velocity, as the printing cylinder, reverses the printed sheets and supplies them to the address-printing station. Here, the mpression cylinder causes theifaddresses to be printed on the sides of the sheets which bear printed the previously printed text, and the sheets may now be ejected.

The means for supplying the sheets may be automatic. Whatever they may be, the sheets move through the machine continuously and are delivered with the text and the address, as required.

Any suitable means may be provided for inking the type on the printing cylinder and the address-printing plates, but I prefer to ink at 66 least the printing plates by inking ribbons as this will not soil the plates. The type on the printing cylinder may be inked by the usual inking rollers or by an inking ribbon.

I may present the inking means for the plates 70 by means of the means for feeding the printing plates to the impression cylinder and return them to their initial position while the cut-away portion of the impression cylinder moves past the station where the plates are printed.

The means for feeding the address-printing plates may be designed in various ways but always in such manner that the plates are moved past the printing station uniformly and at the peripheral velocity of the impression cylinder.

Means may be provided in a machine according to my invention for printing the address in various positions with respect to the long edges of the sheets.

The printing" cylinder may be equipped with'85 peripheral grooves for the type, or with grooves extending in parallel to its axis, according to the p position in which the sheets are fed through the machine, and in conformity therewith the lines on the address-printing plates extend in the direc- 90 tion of the feed, or at right angles thereto.

Preferably the printing cylinder is equipped with means for stretching axially over its type holder strips of sheet metal placed side by side in which the type to be printed is impressed.

In the accompanying drawings two machines embodying my invention are illustrated diagrammatically by way of examnle.

In the drawings Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate a comparatively simple, 100 and Figs. 5 to 10 illustrate a more elaborate mag chine.

More particularly, Fig. 1 is a. somewhat diagrammatic sectional 106 elevation of the first machine,

Fig. 2 is a plan view, "Fig. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sheet as it leaves the machine.

1 Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the second machine, 7

Fig. 6 is, a section on the line VIVI in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the rotary printing unit of this machine, drawn to a larger scale,

Fig. 9 shows the type on the printing cylinder, flattened out and also drawn to a larger scale, and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the sheet as fed into the machine, according to Figs. 5-9.

Referring nowto the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to 4, 11 is the. frame or bed plate of the machine, and 110 are uprights on the bed plate which support the cylinders of the rotary unit. 1 is the printing cylinder, on a shaft 111 in the uprights, and 4 is the impression cylinder, on"

a shaft 6, also in the uprights; 37 is the type holder of the printing cylinder 1 which has parallel grooves for the reception of the type. 2 is a set of inking cylinders for the printing cylinder 1, but I may also provide an inking ribbon 3 in combination with, or instead of, the cylinders 2. 5 is a pad of resilient material on the impression cylinder 4. The printing and impression cylinders are in fact segments, the type holder 37 and the pad 5 extending only over part of their perimeter.

4' is the cutaway portion of the cylinder 4. The

shaft 6 of the impression cylinder 4 is equipped with a crank 7, a pulley 112, Fig. 3, orany other suitable means (not shown) for rotating it.

The printing and impression cylinders l and 4 are of equal diameter and are connected by gear wheels 8 and 9 so as to rotate at the same velocity. 10 is an auxiliary impression cylinder below the principal impression cylinder 4. The auxiliary cylinder 10 is mounted to rotate in a recess of the.

bed plate 11 and serves for applying address printing plates 13 to the principal impression cylinder 4. a

12 is a track in the bed plate 11 for feeding to the rotary printing unit 1, 4, 10 address-printing plates 13 which are flat and made of sheet metal in the usual way. 14 is a receptacle for the plates 13 and 15 is a feed slide for engaging the lowest plate 13 from the pile in the receptacle 14 and for feeding it along the track 12. 16 and 17, Fig. 2, are two push rods which are connected to the feed slide 15 at one end and extend along the track 12, and 18 are spring catches on the rod 16 for engaging behind the plates 13- and for pushing them along the track. 12. Obviously, catches may be arranged on both rods 16 and 17. The arrow 19, Fig. 1, indicates the direction in which the plates 13 are fed along the track 12. The catches 18 recede when the push rods 16, 17 are on the return stroke.

20 is a bracket atthe front ends of push rods 16 and 17 which supports two cylinders 21 for an inking ribbon 22. In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ribbon 22 is above the plate 13 which is going to be presented to the impression cylinder 4.

As mentioned, means such as the crank 7 or the pulley 112 are provided for rotating the impression cylinder 4. The mechanism for feeding the plates 13 along the track 12 is operatively connected to the impression cylinder.' 113 is a sprocket on the shaft 6 of the impression cylinder at the side of its gear wheel 8, 51' is a smaller sprocket on'a feed shaft 114 below the bed plate 24 to the feed slide 15. For feeding the plates 13,

the chain 24 moves in the direction of arrow 26.

The plates 13 which have been printed at the address-printing station, are dropped into a receptacle 28 through a hole 27in the bed plate 11. 29 is a plunger for the reception of the plates.

Means such as tables 30 and 31 may be provided- While a sheet 32 is being printed, the cut-away portion 4' of the impression cylinder 4 moves past the auxiliary impression cylinder 10 and the operation of the address-plate feed is so timed as to move the feeding means, with the inking rib bon 22, into the initial position, Fig. 1. The sheet 32 is entrained by the impression cylinder 4 in the direction of arrow 33, and means such as grippers or guide bands, not shown, may be provided on the printing and/or impression cylinder for pressing thesheets on the impression cylinder 4.

During the period the sheet, after having been printed, moves past the auxiliary impression cylinder 16, the address-printing plate 13 which is ready for pririting, is fed forward at the given time by'the feedingmeans described, together with ribbon 22. As the perimeter of the impression cylinder 4 has the same velocity as the plate 13, the impression cylinder, by 'means of the inking ribbon 22, prints the address clearly on the sheet 32 in a position determined by the operation and timing of the plate-feeding means, for instance, at 33. The auxiliary impression cylinder 10 holds the plate and the inking ribbon 22 applied to the principal'impression cylinder 4, moves the plate through between the cylinders, and finally ejects it through hole 27. The finished sheet is placed on the table 31. a

Auxiliary printing means, such as the cylinders 36, Fig. 1, may be provided for additional matter, for instance, the facsimile of a signature.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 10, this machine is similar to the machine; described in some respects, and corresponding parts are marked with the same reference numerals.

Referring first to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, 55 is a driving shaft below the bed plate 11, with a pulley 52 for rotating it in the direction of the arrow 54, Fig. 5. Placed in line with the driving shaft 55 is a'driven shaft 56. The two shafts are connected by cam plates 66 and 67 on their inner ends. and by screws 68 in the cam plate 67 which engage in elongated holes 69 of the cam plate 66. The sprocket 51 is keyed on the driven shaft 56 and connected to the sprocket 112 on the shaft 6 of the impression cylinder 4 by the chain 50.

57 is a spur gear on the shaft 55 which meshes with a spur gear 58 on a lay shaft 59, Fig. 5. 60 is a sprocket, on the lay shaft and 61 is an endless chain which is mounted on the sprocket and on guide rollers 62, 63 and 64, the rollers 63 and 64 guiding its reach 61' along the track 12.

65 are catches or dogs on the chain which engage fulcrumed in the machine at .73 and engages the cams with a roller 70 on'its short arm '71. '74 is a link which is pivoted torthe long arm 72 of the bell-crank lever at one end, and at its other end to the frame '76 of the ribbon 22 to which it is connected by a bracket 75, and '77 is a rod for the frame 76 to slide on.

Normally the cams 66 and 67 are placed exactly in registering relation so that when the leading edge of the impression-cylinder segment is nearest the track 12 as the impression-cylinder rotates in the direction 33; the leading edge of the' plate 13 which is' going to be printed, justbegins to engage the impression cylinder 4. In this case the addresses are printed in the space 133' of the sheet which is presented on the table 30 in the position shown in Fig. 10. If it is desired to place the addresses is another position, for instance; nearer to the trailing edge 32" the impression cylinder or segment 4 is equipped aso shown in Fig. 8 with a pad 80 which is shorter than the part 79 of its segment (Fig. 6) and may be placedin any desired position on the segment 4. The pad comprises a metal sector and a rubber liner and has a screw 82 for fixing it on the segment in various positions. Holes or slots for the reception of the screw 82 are provided at 81, 81' and 81" and obviously slots may be provided to connect all the holes. If the pad 80' is at the leading edge of the se ment as shown in Fig. 8, the addresses are prin ed in the space 133. If the pad is in another position the addresses are printed nearer to the trailing edge 32 of the sheet 32. If the pad 80 is so large that it will occupy the entire length of the segment, text may be printed at 133'-, Fig. 10, between the space 133 andthe trailing edge 32" with the printing cylinder 1. If, on the other hand, the pad 80 is only so long that its length corresponds to the length of the address, 'obviously only the address can be printed at 133 or elsewhere.

It is necessary that the leading edge of pad 80, whatever may be, position of the pad on the segment, shouldengage with the printing plate 13 whichis presented. This condition is fulfilled by varying the relative angular position of the driving shaft 55 and the driven shaft 56 by turning the shaft 56 from the position Fig. 5 against the arrow 33' which also causes the impression cylinder 4 to turn. The turning is effected through such an angle that the leading edge of pad 80 engages the first address-printing plate. In Fig. 7 the angle through which the shafts 55 and 56 have been turned with respect to each' other, is a maximum corresponding to the position of pad 80 at the rear end of the segment and the addresses are printed near the leading edge 32'.

Obviously the earns 66 and 67 partake in the angular displacement of the shafts 55, 56, andobviously they are out of register to the greatest extent in the position Fig. '7. Rotating the shafts 55, 56 with this relative position of the cams in the direction 54, Fig. 5, does not influence the forward movement ofthe ribbon 22,'i. e. the ribbon moves together with the plate 13 as before. However, the ribbon returns later than in the position Fig. 5, as the cam 6'7 is displaced with re-- spect to the cam 66,-and the ribbon is still above the advancing printing plate 13 when it is printed by the pad 80 at the rear end of the segment.

Obviously in the position Fig. 7 the ribbon frame 76 is returned to its initial position ata, more rapid rate than if the cams register.

Means are illustrated for ensuring that the finished sheet 32 is deposited on the table 31 notwithstanding the high speed of the cylinders 1 and 4. 83 are grippers which hold the sheets on the leading edge of the pad 80, Fig. 8. 84 is a shaft on the impression cylinder which supports the grippers 83 and is adapted tobe adjusted on the cylinder in conformity with the position of the pad 80. 86 is an arm, with a roller at its free end, which is keyed on the shaft 84, and 88 is a fixed cam, with a rise 87, for controlling the arm 86. 89 are springs on the shaft 84 and are pins which are mounted to slide radially in holes of the segment and engaged by the free ends of the springs 89. When the arm 86 rises on the rise 87 of cam'88 the grippers 83 open and at the same time the pins 85 are pushed outwards by the springs 89, forcing the end of the sheet 32 which the grippers 83 have released, away from the pad 80. The sheet is now deposited on the table 31 and not entrained by the impression cylinder 4.

j The printing cylinder 1 of this machine is designed for the reception of strips of sheet metal, zinc or aluminium, in which the type is impressed. Any number of strips 38 and 38 may be placed on the type holder 37, as shown in Fig. 9. The strips 38 may be shifted axially with respect to the cylinder with and-against the arrow 44 while the strip 38' is fixed in this direction.

Clips 39 and 41, of channel section, Fig. 8, are placed on the leading and trailing edges of type holder 3'7 and equipped with undercut pins or rivets 40 and 42, respectively, for engaging holes in the corresponding ends of the strips 38 and 38. The edges of the type holder 37'are beveled so that the pins or rivets do not project beyond the perimeter of the type holder and the cylinder 1. The clips 41-are equipped with set screws 43 by means of which they can be moved away from the edge' of the type holder 3'? so as to put tension on the corresponding strip.

With the exception of the clips 39 and 41 of the strip 38-, the clips 39 and 41, as mentioned, may be shifted in parallel to the axis of the printing cylinder 1. 45 are pins on the clips 39-, and 47 are pins on the clips 41, which engage in elongated holes 46 and 48, respectively, in the type holder 3'7. In the clip .39- for the strip 38, the pin 45 engages in a circular hole in the type hold er 37, and the pin 47 engages in a notch 49 of the type holder so that operation of the set screw 43 only forces the strip 38' away from the type holder 37.

The strip 38', with its clips 39' and 41, is in line with the track 12 for the address-printing plates 13 which is a fixture and therefore the fixed strip 38 is in a given cross-sectional plane of the printing cylinder 1. The other strips, 38, are shiftable within limits to each other and to the fixed strip 38. This is desirable if strips with various kinds of type are placed on the same printingcylinder, as it is possible to place the last =line on one strip, and the first line on the next,

have been printed, a platen arranged at that side of. the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders, and means for supplying address-printing plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which the sheets are delivered from the two cylinders.

2. In a printing 'and addressing machine, a printing cylinder having a type holder, a plain impression cylinder cooperating with said printing cylinder so as to reverse the sheets after they have been printed, a platen arranged at that side of the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders, means for supplying address-printing plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which sheets are delivered from the two cylinders, and means for inserting an inking ribbon between said printing plates and said impression cylinder.

3. In a printing and addressing machine, a printing cylinder having a type holder, a plain impression cylinder cooperating with said printing cylinder so as to reverse the sheets after they have been printed, a platen arranged at that side of the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders,

' and a pusher operatively connected to said impression cylinder for supplying address-printiing plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which the sheets are delivered from the two cylinders.

4. In a printing and addressing machine, a printing cylinder having a type holder, an impression cylinder cooperating with said .printing cylinder so as to reverse the sheets after they have been printed, a segment forming part of said impression cylinder, an impression plate which is shorter than said segment, means for fixing said impression plate in various positions on said segment, a platen arranged at that side of the impression cylinder where the reversed sneets are delivered from the cylinders, and

means for supplying address-printing plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which the sheets are delivered from the two cylinders.

5. In a printing and addressing machine, a printing cylinder having a. type holder, 2, plain impression cylinder cooperating with said printing cylinder so as to reverse the sheets after they have been printed, gripping means on said impression cylinder, pins operatively connected to said gripping means for lifting sheets off the impression cylinder after the sheets have been .released by the gripping means, a platen arranged at that side of'the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders, and means for supplying addressprinting plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which the sheets are delivered from the two cylinders.

6. In a printing and addressing machine, a printing cylinder having a type holder, means for securing strips of subdivided chase to said holder, a plain impression cylinder cooperating with said printing cylinder so as to reverse the sheets after they have been printed, a platen arranged at that side of the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders, and means for supplying addressprinting plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which the sheets are delivered from the two cylinders.

7. In a printing and addressing machine, a printing cylinder having a type holder, means for securing to said holder strips of subdivided chase which are arranged for limited displacement, a plain impression cylinder cooperating with said printing cylinder so as to reverse the sheets after they have been printed, a platen arranged at that side of the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders, and means for supplying address- .printing plates to the gap between said impres-- to reverse the sheets after they have been printed,

a platen arranged at that side of the impression cylinder where the reversed sheets are delivered from the cylinders, and meansfor supplying address-printing plates to the gap between said impression cylinder and said platen in the direction in which the sheets are delivered from the cylinders. JOSEPH KRELL. 

